Archotuba

Archotuba is a genus of elongated conical tubes that were seemingly deposited by colonial organisms. Known from the Chengjiang, its biological affinity is uncertain; it somewhat resembles the tubes of the 'priapulid' Selkirkia, but a cnidarian affinity is also possible.[1] In the absence of soft parts, there really isn't enough data to confirm a biological affiliation.[2]

Archotuba
Temporal range: Cambrian
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: incertae sedis
Genus: †Archotuba
Species:
†A. elongata
Binomial name
†Archotuba elongata
Hou et al 1999
Synonyms

Archotuba conoidalis

Archotuba elongata

The extinct species Archotuba elongata is a debated priapulid from the Early Cambrian,[3] discovered by Luo and Hu in 1999. Recorded only in the Yunnan Province of the Chengjiang Biota, this species was initially found to be part of the phylum Priapulida, but some have raised the question that A. elongata may be related to the cnidarians.[4] In fact, due to the lack of soft body preservation, not only does confusion remain as to the placement of A. elongata, the another described species, Archotuba conoidalis, has been found to be a synonym of A. elongata.[4][5]

The available specimens consist of hundreds of compressed tubes, white with some rust-colored blotches, each in shape a long cone and at most 5 cm in length and 6 mm in width.[4] The posterior is pointed, but save for a few rare annulations, the fossil is unadorned. The creature's intestine is visible along its midline, and its dark color may indicate a carnivorous nature.[6] The habits of A. elongata are disputable: a popular explanation is that because this species is often found fixed to other creatures, and even clustered together with its own kind in similar orientations, it perhaps did not move, highly unlike the current understanding of priapulids. However, if indeed they were sedentary like the cnidarians, no tentacles have been preserved to support such a conjecture.[4]

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References
  1. Schmidt-Rhaesa, Andreas (2012-12-21). Nematomorpha, Priapulida, Kinorhyncha, Loricifera. ISBN 9783110272536.
  2. Genus Archotuba Hou, Bergström, Wang, Feng, Chen, 1999.
  3. "Chengjiang Maotianshan Shales". www.fossilmuseum.net. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  4. Xian-Guang, Hou; Siveter, David J.; Siveter, Derek J.; Aldridge, Richard J.; Pei-Yun, Cong; Gabbott, Sarah E.; Xiao-Ya, Ma; Purnell, Mark A.; Williams, Mark (2017-03-08). The Cambrian fossils of Chengjiang, China : the flowering of early animal life. Hou, Xianguang. (Second ed.). Chichester, West Sussex. ISBN 9781118896310. OCLC 970396735.
  5. Gastrotricha, Cycloneuralia, and Gnathifera. Volume 1, Nematomorpha, Priapulida, Kinorhyncha, Loricifera. Schmidt-Rhaesa, Andreas. Berlin: De Gruyter. 2013. ISBN 9783110272536. OCLC 834618851.CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. Han, Jian; Zhang, Zhifei; Liu, Jianni; Shu, Degan (2007). "Evidence of Priapulid Scavenging from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Deposits, Southern China". PALAIOS. 22 (6): 691–694. doi:10.2110/palo.2006.p06-117r. JSTOR 27670470.
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